While I understand that many people consider Eclipse to be the de-facto Java development platform, NetBeans fits the way I work. In my opinion, NetBeans is more intuitive and just as powerful as its competitors.
When starting Java, I suggest developers try both Eclipse and NetBeans before choosing their development environment.
given by DevMan on June 2, 2007
I tried NetBeans but it didn't work out for me. That's why I use Eclipse. But NetBeans really has some nice features so you have to decide yourself which one to choose to match your needs.
given by ToOLs on November 1, 2007
My favourite Java IDE. I agree with Bilfurd and fully recommend trying latest version.
When starting Java, I suggest developers try both Eclipse and NetBeans before choosing their development environment.